In order to determine the prognostic significance of thrombocytosis in idiopathic sideroblastic anemia, the clinical courses of 17 patients were reviewed. Six patients (36%) had thrombocytosis, and none developed acute leukemia. Nine patients (53%) had normal platelet counts, and one developed acute leukemia. Two patients (12%) were thrombocytopenic, and one died of acute leukemia. There was little correlation between survival and platelet count. Sixty-three additional case reports of idiopathic sideroblastic anemia were collected from the literature. Analysis of those patients and the patients in the present study documented transformation to acute leukemia in 5 of 9 (56%) thrombocytopenic patients, 4 of 54 (7.4%) patients with normal platelet counts, and 0 of 17 patients with thrombocytosis (p less than 0.05). Therefore patients with idiopathic sideroblastic anemia and thrombocytosis appear to have a decreased likelihood of leukemic transformation.

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Copyright © 1977 by The American Society of Hematology
1977
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